Julian Dugger Proved Himself With Gutsy Bowl Game Performance

Julian Dugger played like a true freshman making his college debut against Toledo, but that wasn’t a surprise. Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he handled himself largely like a player much older.

He’s a big, strong kid with a unique throwing motion, the only left-handed quarterback on the team, and perhaps he shouldn’t be viewed as a kid anymore. He more than proved himself when the coaching staff inserted him into the starting lineup in the second half.

Dugger — a 6-foot-3, 210-pound rising second-year freshman — showed the sort of grit and determination that’s needed to play at the highest level.

It quickly became apparent once Dugger entered the GameAbove Sports Bowl that he should’ve been playing the entire game.

Not to pile on David Lynch, but it was also apparent pretty quickly that he wasn’t ready to play against Toledo. Dugger may or may not have been ready himself, but he showed the type of natural ability that should have Pitt fans excited for the future. It was quite a debut — one that cements Dugger as an option going forward.

This isn’t to say Dugger should be the starter, Eli Holstein is firmly entrenched as the starter, but Dugger gives the coaching staff the ability to look at him as a No. 2 option.

Dugger didn’t exactly light the world on fire against Toledo. He did what was asked of him, using his legs to extend plays and pick up yards where needed. And while there was clearly a desire to tone it down with a first-timer in the lineup, he made some impressive throws — the two touchdowns stand out.

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Julian Dugger (12) December 26, 2024 David Hague/PSN

The stat line doesn’t jump off the page. He completed 7-of-13 pass attempts for 72 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, adding 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground, in just about one half of football. But that’s pretty damn good for a debut.

“I thought Julian brought a lot of fire that we needed,” Gavin Bartholomew said after the game. “When we couldn’t get the ball moving, I thought he did a good job of making sure the guys were on the same page. And when he got an explosive, we were always there cheering him on and we were just telling him that we’ve got his back and he’s the man.”

Dugger showed some impressive physical traits. He’s an excellent athlete, that much is apparent, and his left arm has some zip on it. But maybe what stood out more than anything was his composure.

He threw a pick-six late in the fourth quarter and bounced back with an inspired effort in overtime. He scored a touchdown in the first overtime and converted three two-point conversions on his own. And Pitt wouldn’t have made it to overtime without him.

Pat Narduzzi announced Lynch as the starter before the game but that Lynch and Dugger were going to see some action. Lynch’s mistakes allowed Dugger to see more time on the field.

“We worked with Julian,” Narduzzi said after the game. “We were excited about watching him play, and I think you can see why. He can make plays with his feet, he can extend the pocket and he made some great plays today in the run game and in the pass game. So, he threw a pick-six, had a D-tackle drop into coverage, which we hadn’t seen a bunch of, and he took one back on him there. Those two pick-sixes were obviously the game.

“We thought he operated everything — I mean, he’s a little bit older. And he had a great week of practice as well, great couple of weeks of practice, but we thought that was the No. 1. But we had a package for Julian to go in there that we liked, and it worked pretty good.”

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Julian Dugger (12) December 26, 2024 David Hague/PSN

Dugger was a playmaker, and he needed to be considering he was under pressure on 47.4% of his 19 dropbacks, according to PFF. His skill set is perfect for the way Bell opened up the playbook in the second half, working in more read option and wildcat looks, and as a lefty, there could be more to unlock, too.

“I do think it’ll be better (for Dugger to play in),” Narduzzi said on National Signing Day last December. “Coach Bell is left-handed. When he jumped up on the board, I’m like, ‘Hey, Julian’s left-handed, too.’ You know, a lot of people don’t like left-handed quarterbacks. I think that’s maybe one of the reasons he was still waiting for us in the summer.” 

The future looks bright for Julian Dugger, and there’s a chance that he could enter the 2025 season as the No. 1 backup.